Traffic marking for road surfaces



March 13; 1945. F. NICHOLSON 42,371,462

TRAFFIC MARKINGS FOR ROAD SURFACES Filed June 12,. 1942 dll gsm

.Patented Mar. 13, 1945 l UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE TRAFFIC Fon ROADsURFAclis Eramcis Nicholson, Chard,l`lngland Application Juneiz, 194:2,seria1N6- 446,751

. In Great Britain July 3,

1 Claim. (C1. afi- 1.5i

rubber, artificial rubber or,ot her plastic or resinous compound havingan insertion or backing of woven -materiar o f larger area than theslab, which is moulded in one with the slab to form a reinforcementtherefor and to provide a free margin of woven material extending aroundthe slab and adapted to be cemented to the road by means of a materialappropriate tothe surface of the road.

Preferably the slab is formed of a strip of rubber or other relativelyresilient composition which is capable of retaining its colour andresisting wear, and the reinforcing backing or insertion may be formedof wire, hessian, cotton 'or other Woven fabric which is interposedduring the moulding of the slab and is subsequently vulcanjsedtherewith.

At least two parallel sides of the slab are bevelled and in some casesboth the sides and lends of the slab are bevelled. These bevelledportions preferably slant downwardly towards a narrow margin of thematerial from which the main part of the slab is formed but in all casesa free surround or outerv margin of woven material extends preferablyaround the slab.

When the slab is to be applied to the road, the surface of the latter ispainted with any ordinary road tar or bitumen so that the area so coatedis slightly greater than that of the fabric surround. The slab is thenplaced in position on the surface so coated and the fabric surround isusually given a second coating by means of a brush, this coated areabeing then'covered with asphalt, chippings or grit as in the wellknownmethods of surface dressings before being finally tamped or rolled. I'heasphalt or stone chip-V pings are applied so that the fabric is entirelycovered and preferably the edge of the rubber or like slab is made tomerge into the road surface by sloping off the asphalt or similarsurface at each end, reflex glasses inserted in recesses of suicientdepth to protect the glass from damage-v by vehicles having rigid tires.Further, Where the `slab is to beused in a wood block or similarroadwaythe reinforcement may be of wovenwire andprovided with eyeletedholes to receive screws or spikesl toforman additional means of.securing the strip to the road'surface. e

Various embodiments vaccording to the present inventionk are illustratedby way of examplein the accompanying drawing, in which vFigure y1 is aplan showing a moulded rubber or likeroad slab with a free surround 'ofwoven material, f

Figure 2 is 'afcrossese'ction on the'line I I.'II of Figure 1l butshowing the slab after application to the road,

Figure 3 shows a modified form of slab in which the reinforcement iscomposed of wire fabric with additional perforations therein,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through a modified form of slabhaving reflex glasses therein at each end, and

Figure 5 is an end 4view of Figure 4 partly in section. I

In the simplest form of slab shown in Figures 1 and 2 the main body ofthe slab A is composed of rubber, artificial rubber or other resilientmoulded composition which is wear-resisting,

manently. The slab is reinforced with a backing of relatively looselywoven material, such as hessian, linen or cotton, or relatively nemetallic Wire mesh. The area of the fabric B is greater than that of theslab so that a free surround or margin extends around the slab Whilstthe remaining parts of the fabric are integral with the slab and form areinforcement therefor. The fabric is moulded with the main portion ofthe slabv and in the case of rubber or similar material is subsequentlyvulcanised therewith. The slab is provided with bevelled ends and sidesand Abetween the edges of the free surround and the edges of the mainbody there is an intermediate margin A1 of rubber or of the materialfrom which the main body is formed, forming a thin step of this materialas clearly shown in Figure 2i.` This inner margin or step provides asure seal against the inroad of water and relieves iiex` ing strainsbetween the fabric and the main body thus reducing any tendency for thefabric to separate or fracture where it joins the main body.

The alternative construction shown in Figure 3 differs from that abovedescribed in that the reinforcement D is formed of Woven wire or the theparticular construction illustrated in Figure 3 but such a margin may beprovided if desired.

In the alternative construction shown in Figures 4 and 5 the slab is ofincreased depth and comprises a main body of rubber or thef like Fprovided with a Wire or wovenlfabric reinforcement G which is of greaterarea than the slab1 and with an intermediate resilient margin F1 as' inthe construction shown in Figure 1. The body of the slab F is recessedso as to form a housing at each endh for one or more reflex glasses Hwhich are retained in position by meansl of a plastic cement or likepacking Jj against a central core of wood or other relativelyrigidmaterial- It will be seen that asvthe glasses project beyond the7 end ofthe slab they' are exposedv to rain and hence do not become obscured bymud as is the case with those which are setin a hood or recess.'I'liebevelled edges and ends, where such are provided, prevent the slabitself' from holding mud or becoming obscured in use.v Whenthe'slabcontains reflex glasses it ls preferably ofhalf-roundcross-,section as shown in Figure 5.

When the slab is to be applied to thel road, an,

area of the latter slightly greater than that of the slab with itssurround is coated as by means of a brush with hot tar or bitumen. Theslab is then laid on the road surface, pressed or tamped into positionand the exposed portion of the fabric is preferably given a secondcoating of tar or bitumen. This coated surface is then covered withasphalt, stone chippngs or grit L (Figures 2 and. 4,)- and this coatingis' preferably sloped on' so as to merge into the road surface and coverthe intermediate margin A1 or F1. Alternatively, where spikes areemployed, these are introduced before the asphalt or like dressing isapplied.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A traino marker comprising a premoulded slab of wear-resisting materialand a backing of untreated' Woven material having a larger area than theslab moulded in one with the latter whereby a free portion of untreatedwoven' material extends beyond the slab, at least; two parallel sides oftneslab being bevelled and an outer margin of moulded material integralwith the main portion of the slab surrounding the bevelledu sides..

said' margin lying between the bevelled portion or the slab and thelfree portion of woven material and formed of the same materialt as the"main body but of 'lesser thickness than said main body', the wholeconstituting a single completed' article the underside of which isadapted to be cemented to the normal road surface.

FRANCIS' NICHOLSON'.

